Improvement in leather-dressing machines



A., J. ALEXANDER. Leather-Dressing Machine.

No. 207.930. Patented Sept. l10. 1878.'

' 4W. e. 523% CWM jwmwa, My/6o ATTORNEYS UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ANDEEwv J. ALEXANDER, on eALLrro'Lrs, onro, AssreNoE orl ONE-HALE Eis EIGHT To JOHN ALEXANDER AND JOHN-W. cUBBAeE, 0E sAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN LEATHER-DRESSING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,930, dated September 10, 1878 application filed June 22, 1878.

To all whom it may concern;

. Be it known that I, ANDREW J. ALExAN- DER, of Gallipolis, in the county of Gallia and State of Ohio, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Leather-Workers, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,-and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a vpart of this specication, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a side view of my leather-worker. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a view of the sprinkler, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of same.

This invention relates 'to improvement-s in leather-working machines; and it consists in combining a workin g-wheel havin g radial arms, and att-achable for removably securing the stones, brushes, or knives, with rollers carrying an endless apron, and a pair of pivoted.

levers carrying a roller above said endless apron, for the purpose of compressing the liquor from the hide, and of presenting it properly to the working-wheel for the purpose of unhairing, scouring, dto.

It further consists of a pressure-frame pivoted below the working-wheel to the frame by wire springs, and having latches at its power end adapted to engage with pins in the frame of the machine at that end, for the purpose of properly presenting the hidel to the workingwheel after the hide has left the endless apron,

all of which will be hereinafter fully described, .and particularly pointed out in the claims.

A of the drawings represents a frame', having upright posts B B1 B2 on each side, and a cross-bar, C, uniting tlieposts B2 at what I call the rear end of the frame. The letter D on the front end of the frame and D on the rear end represent rollers, over which is passed the endless belt E, as shown. The letter F represents another roller attached to the front end of the frame, and G is also a roller of larger diameter, arranged in or upon the longitudinal bar K at or near the top of post B1. The-rollers F and G serve as means for actuating the endless belt L, which said belt is passed over said rollers, respectively as represented on the drawings.

A second or supplemental frame is arranged upon the top of the main frame, to providefor holdingand actuating the press-roller, pivoted levers, and sprinkler next described. This frame is usually formed by ,an extension of the posts B, slot-ted at their tops, and short posts a, also slotted, and provided with a pivot-pin to secure one end of the longitudinal levers M, in the manner represented on the drawings. The levers M are pivoted at one end in the slots formed in the top of posts a, while the Opposite ends thereof rest within the slots formed in the tops of posts B. By this arrangement the front ends of these levers may be raised or depressed at will to regulate the pressure upon the roller N, as shown by the dotted lines on Fig.' l of the drawings.

The letterN represents my press-roller journaled in or to the levers M, and O represents a sprinkling-tube, preferably arrranged a littlc above and at the rear of roller N, as shown.

The letter P indicates a pressure-frame pi voted to the central posts Bl, and extending to 4the rear of the main frame, as shown. My

method of pivoting this frame to the posts Bl is preferably by wire or plate springs so arranged as to give it elasticity. This is done `in order that the pressure of said frame against the dressing-wheel, hereinafter described, may be yielding and notrigid. This frame P is made adjustable at the front end of the main frame by ratchet or pins c upon the post B and the spring-latches el upon the frame P. Any other suitable device may be used for sccuring the desired adjustability'.

The letter W represents my working-wheel, which consists of a series of radial arms, V, centrally united upon a shaft, and each arm provided` with an auxiliary longitudinal' bar, Y, attachable thereto `and detachable'therefrom by screws f.

Uponv the outer surfaces of the. arms V, I affix a series of brushes, g, by means of screws h. It is obvious that when so connected these brushes are removable at will.

The letter n represents abrading-stones, a

journaled in the right side of the frame. These several drums and their shafts and rollers are actuated by the belts p and r in the mannersllown on the drawings. A gear-wheel, S, 4is attached to the end of roller G, and a pinion meshing and operating with said wheel is arranged on the short shaft above mentioned, and on the inner side of drum o, as represented. The power is applied to the end of the shaft of the working-wheel. Y

My leather-worker is operated as follows, viz: Standing at the end of the machine opposite the workin g-wheel, the operator spreads a hide upon the upper endless belt, which I call the feed-table. The machine, being in motion, carries the hide under the roller N, which is manipulated by means of the levers so as to give the pressure required. From this roller the hide descends under the workingwheel, when it is subjected to the action of the brushes g and abrading-stones n. It is obvious that the hide ma'y be pressed upward against the working-wheel with the precise force required by means of the frame Il?, ari ranged under the working-wheel for that purpose. From the working-wheel the hide is carried rearward down this inclined endless belt L to the feet of the operator. The pressure-roller N (either of naked wood or metal, or it may be clothed with any suitable jacket, such as cloth, rubber) presses the old exhausted liquor from the hide, and at the same time forces the liquor toward its center, moistening the same.

The rollers F and Gr unitedly serve to feed the hide to the working-wheel, and it 4is apparent that, by reason of the adjustability of the former, hides of all thicknesses may be passed through and pressed.

After passing through the feed-rollers the hide is brought in contact with the working'- wheel, when it is scoured and cleaned by the stones and brushes. While this process is being carried on the hide is sprinkled with water from the sprinkler. By these means the hide becomes freed in great measure from exhausted liquor and sediment, and its pores opened to receive a fresh supply of fresh liquor. The operation is repeated as often as may be found necessary. The abrading-stones a may also be used in stonin g the bate.

In breaking hides I remove the brushes and stones and replace the latter with the sawtoothed knives shown in Fig. 4, and in slicking or unhairing hides I use the smooth-edged knives, Fig. 5.

That portion of the frame under the working-wheel which serves to press the hide upward against said wheel should be cloth ed with leather, cloth, or other flexible material, in order to diminish the force of the stroke of the stones, brushes, or knives upon the side. It is obvious that this frame may be arranged above the wheel, if desirable, and still be made effective.

The hide is treated as above described, passing through the machine, as mentioned, until it is ready to be laid aside in a vat or elsewhere.

Hides treated bymy machine are tanned with great rapidity; and not only is the process of tanning greatly facilitated thereby, but the leatheris found to be more solid and of heavier weight than when 'it is tanned in the usual I nd also, by my experiments, that a great saving in bark and other substances aording the tannin is effected by the use of my machine.

I am aware that endless aprons have been used to convey the hides to the working-wheel in this class of machines, and that a platform or block has been placed beneath the workin gwheel, and that the hide has been passed between them. Such constructions 'are not sought to be covered in this application.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure 1. In a machine for unhairing, scouring, or currying hides or skins, the combination of the working-wheel WV, having radial arms V and attachable bars Y, with the rollers F and G, and endless apron, L, and the pivoted levers M, carrying the roller N, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a machine for unhairing, scouring, or curryin g hides, the combination of the pressure-frame l), pivoted to the uprights Bl by wire springs, as shown, and having the latches d adapted to engage with the pins c, with the working-wheel W, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW JACKSON ALEXANDER.

Witnesses JNO. C. VANDEN, Gnus. I-I. l). SUMMER. 

